Guatemala City (in full, La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción; locally known as Guatemala or Guate), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala. It is also the capital city of the local Guatemala Department and the largest city in Central America and the Caribbean.

Population

As of the 2002 census, the metropolitan area had a population of 2.3 million.[2] However, it has grown in excessive amounts throughout recent years. Guatemalans have a diversity of origins, with Spanish and Mestizo descent being the most common. Guatemala City also has a sizeable Indigenous population and minority groups such as Germans and other Europeans, Jewish, Koreans, and many groups of other Latin American origins such as Peruvian, and Colombian amongst others.

Guatemala City's population has experienced drastic growth since the 1970s with the influx of indigenous migrants from the outlying departments as well as a large influx of foreign groups. For this reason along with several others, Guatemala City has experienced some growth problems such as transportation saturation, availability of safe potable water in some areas at certain times as well as increased crime. The infrastructure, although continuing to grow and improve, at times appears to be lagging in relation to the population explosion. In other words, Guatemala City experiences common growing pains comparable to any other rapidly growing city in the world.

Climate

Despite its location in the tropics and the many micro climates found within the country, Guatemala City's elevation and the resulting moderating influence of the higher altitude, enables it to enjoy a subtropical highland climate. Guatemala City is generally mild, almost springlike, throughout the course of the year. It occasionally gets warm during the dry season, but it is nowhere near as hot as other sea-level cities located in the tropics. The rainy season extends from May to October while the dry season covers the remainder of the year.[3] The weather in Guatemala City is also very windy; this may decrease the apparent temperature even more.

Its average annual temperature is of 19 to 22 °C (66 to 72 °F)) during the day, and 14 °C (57 °F) at night.

History

Metropolitan Cultural Centre (old National Post Office Building).

Within the confines of modern Guatemala City is the ancient Maya city of Kaminaljuyu. Kaminaljuyu dates back some 9,000 years and is one of America's most notable archaeological sites. The center of Kaminaljuyu was located a short distance from the oldest part of Guatemala City. However, in the late 20th century, the city grew around the ruins, and, in some cases, over some of the outlying ruins before they were protected.

Many of the several hundred temple mounds have been built over with freeways, shopping centers, commerce, luxury hotels and residential areas. The central ceremonial center of Kaminaljuyu was however protected by the Guatemalan government and is now a park within the city. There are also many ruins still in existence, protected by the government.

Today

Evening view from a plane

Guatemala City is the economic, governmental and cultural capital of the Republic, and considered by many, an economic capital of Central America.

The city also functions as the main port of entry into the country, with Central America's largest international airport, La Aurora International Airport and most major highways in the country originating or leading to the city.

In addition to a wide variety of restaurants, hotels and shops, the city has a wide variety of art galleries, theaters, sports venues and museums (including some fine collections of Pre-Columbian art) and continually offers an increasing amount of cultural activities.

Guatemala City offers all the modern amenities along with important historic sites that a world class city can be expected to have ranging from an IMAX Theater to the Ícaro film festival (Festival Ícaro) featuring film produced in Guatemala and Central America.

The city continues to be a pole for the attraction of immigrants from the country's rural areas as well as foreign immigrants.

Structure and growth

Guatemala City is subdivided into 22 zones designed by the urban engineering of Raúl Aguilar Batres, each one with its own streets and avenues, making it very easy to find addresses in the city. Zones are numbered 1-25 with Zones 20, 22 and 23 not yet existing.[6] Addresses are assigned according to the street or avenue number, followed by a dash and the number of meters it is away from the intersection further simplifying address location.

The city's metro area has recently grown very rapidly and has absorbed most of the neighboring municipalities of Villa Nueva, San Miguel Petapa, Mixco, San Juan Sacatepequez, San José Pinula, Santa Catarina Pinula, Fraijanes, San Pedro Ayampuc, Amatitlán, Villa Canales, Palencia and Chinautla forming what is now known as the Guatemala City Metropolitan Area.

Zone One is the Historic Center, (Centro Histórico), lying in the very heart of the city, the location of many important historic buildings including the Palacio Nacional de la Cultura (National Palace of Culture), the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Congress, the Casa Presidencial (Presidential House), the National Library and Plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Plaza, old Central Park). Efforts to revitalize this important part of the city have been undertaken by the municipal government and have been very successful thus far.

In an attempt to control rapid growth of the city, the municipal government (Municipalidad de Guatemala) headed by long time Mayor Álvaro Arzú, has implemented a plan to control its growth based on transects along its important arterial roads and exhibitting Transit-oriented development (TOD) characteristics. This plan denominated POT (Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial) aims to allow taller building structures of mixed uses to be built next to large arterial roads and gradually decline in height and density as you move away from such.[7]

Transportation

Urban public transportation is provided mainly by bus and recently supplemented with a BRT System. Guatemala City is the spot where the 5 main highways of the country start. (Highway to the Atlantic, to El Salvador, to the Coast, to the Altiplano and to Peten.) The construction of freeways and underpasses by the municipal government, the implementation of reversible lanes during peak rush hour traffic flows, as well as the establishment of the Department of Metropolitan Transit Police (PMT) has helped traffic flow in the city, however, the Guatemalan metropolitan area still faces a growing transportation problem.

A new BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system called Transmetro, consisting of special-purpose lanes for high-capacity buses, began operating in 2007 and aims to improve traffic flow in the city through the implementation of an efficient mass transit system. The first line (Eje Sur) is proving to be a success and work has begun on a second central line (Eje Central). [6] This may also lay the base for the possibility of a light rail system in the future. Traditional buses are now required to discharge passengers at central stations at the city's edge to board the Transmetro. This is being implemented as new Transmetro lines become established. In conjunction with the new mass transit implementation in the city, there is also a prepaid bus card system called Transurbano that is being implemented in the metro area to limit cash handling for the transportation system. A new fleet of buses tailored for this system has been purchased from a Brazilian firm.

Universities and Schools

There are 10 universities, Universidad Mariano Gálvez, Universidad Panamericana, Universidad Mesoamericana, Universidad Rafael Landivar, Universidad Francisco Marroquin, Universidad del Valle, Universidad del Istmo, Universidad Galileo, Universidad Rural and Universidad de San Carlos, the only public one and third oldest university in America. The city also has 2 of the most expensive private schools in Central America, The American School of Guatemala and The Mayan International School.

Crime

In 2008, Approximately 40 murders a week were reported in Guatemala City alone. While the vast majority of murders do not involve foreigners, the sheer volume of activity and the limited resources makes local officials and police, who are inexperienced and underpaid, unable to cope with the problem. The judicial system is weak, overworked, and inefficient further compounding the crime problem.[16] There have been proposals to create a criminal justice program in the country and require police officers to have such studies. Higher studies would also be coupled with higher pay. This has only remained in the discussion stage without any advances despite the increased criminal wave that has plagued the city and country in the past decade or so.

Natural disasters

View of Guatemala City with the Agua, Fuego and Acatenango volcanoes in the background.

Earthquakes

Guatemala City has been affected several times by earthquakes. The worst quakes were registered in 1917/1918 and 1976.

Volcanic activity

Four volcanoes are visible from the city, two of them active. The nearest and most active is Pacaya, which at times expels a considerable amount of ash.[17]

Mudslides

Due to heavy rainfalls some of the humble neighborhoods built at the edge of steep valleys are frequently washed away and buried under mudslides, as in October 2005.[18]

Sinkhole

In February 2007 a large sinkhole opened in a poor neighborhood in northeast Guatemala city, killing three people. The sinkhole was 100.5 m (330 ft) deep, and apparently was created by fluid from a sewer dissolving the rock underneath. As a result, one thousand people have been evacuated from the area.[19] The sink hole has since been mitigated and plans to develop on the site have been proposed.

Zone Ten and Zona Viva

Plaza Fontabella Lifestyles Shopping Center.

Zone Ten, along with being the financial district of the city, is among the most popular areas for pop culture, shopping and entertainment. A district within Zone Ten, known as Zona Viva, contains many of the city's most popular and most expensive hotels, restaurants, bars, discothèques, and other entertainment venues for urban dwellers. Also, many of the embassies are located in Zone Ten.

Understand

Guatemala City is located in the department (territorial
division) of Guatemala, and it's the capital of the country. All
the main highways start at Km. 0, located inside Palacio Nacional
de la Cultura (National Palace), in Centro Histórico (Historic
Center).

Guatemala City became the capital after Antigua
Guatemala had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1773. With a
population of around 3 million people, Guatemala City is the
largest and most modern city in Guatemala, and Central America, and
it is the region's center for finance and politics. It can be
interesting to visit "Guate" - as it is also called by the locals.
Guatemala City has attractions and restaurants, often with few
tourists. Attending a Sunday evening gathering of hundreds of
locals at the main plaza is certainly an unforgettable
experience.

INGUAT, 7 Avenida 1-17, Zona 4. Travellers
have mixed reports about the service being unreliable here at the
official travel office. The written material is sparse. You can get
some nice posters for Q6, and if you bring your own blank CD-Rs,
they will copy some marimba music for you.

The online newspaper Prensa Libre host live arrival and
departure information
[10] for the airport.

There are always taxis at the airport. They operate with fixed
prices (around 12USD from the airport to Zona 10) that are 2-3
times higher than what you would pay for the same distance with an
ordinary taxi. If your hotel is in Zona 10 chances are high that
there is a free shuttle service. There is also a bus route
operating the road that passes the airport. It will take you to
Zona 10 at around La Reforma and 12 Calle. If you are going to the
old city center (Zona 1), there are a lot of buses going that way
from La Reforma or from 7 Avenida that runs in parallel with La
Reforma one block away.

Regular shuttles run to Antigua each day, several times a day
from 6AM to 8 PM (prices 8USD to 12USD per person).

By car

The Central American highways CA-1 and CA-9 run through
Guatemala City. CA-1 is part of the Pan-American Highway and comes
from the border with Mexico near Tapachula, through the western
highlands. Within the city, CA-1 is first Avenida Roosevelt, then
Boulevar Liberacion and then Bulevar Los Proceres. It then becomes
Carretera a El Salvador outside of the city and it leads to the
Chinamas border with El Salvador.

By bus

In almost any town in Guatemala you will find a bus that
eventually will take you to Guatemala City. The 2nd class
extra-urbanos are often crowded and not very comfortable,
but cheap. Expect to pay around Q10 per hour if you are a
foreigner. There are also various 1st class buses from some of the
larger cities and from neighboring countries (Belize, México, El
Salvador and Honduras). Most buses end up in Zona 1 or Zona 4.

Note that as of January 2007 there has been a transition to a
new mass transit system that has more or less removed buses from
their normal terminals in zones 1 and 4. Guatemala City is
currently converting to a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system where
extraurbano buses bringing in riders from other parts of the
country drop them off at different stations at the periphery of the
city, wherein the privately-owned municipal bus system brings them
to their respective destinations within the city. Currently,
extraurbano buses heading in the direction of Antigua can be found
at the Plaza del Mariachi at the periphery of Zone 3. This
arrangement is currently in flux, however, with the extraurbano bus
cooperative members fighting for a legal right to again use the old
terminals in zones 1 and 4. It would be best for travelers to
consult locals to find out what the situation is before assuming
they can go to any one place for the buses.

Map of Guatemala City

The city is divided into 21 zones (zonas). Zona 1 is
the old historic center. Here you'll find the national palace, the
presidential palace, the cathedral, the main plaza and the Central
Market. South of Zona 1 is Zona 4 where many of the official
buildings are situated, like the national bank, the national
theatre, the tourist board (INGUAT). Further south is Zona 10 and
Zona 9, divided by Avenida La Reforma. Zona 10 hosts most of the
high class hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping facilities. A small
part of Zona 10 is called Zona Viva (the lively zone)
because of its nightlife.

By bus

The common way to get around in Guatemala City is by bus or
taxi. Hardly anyone walks (people might find it odd if you do).
Traveling inside the city by bus costs Q1.00 (a few routes costs
Q1.10 (you'll see a sign in the window of the bus), and everybody
charges Q1.25 on Sundays). The buses run from early morning till
about eight in the evening. It is not advisable to take the bus
after dark. Also, robbery on the buses is quite common (statistics
from 2003 shows around 21900 robberies per year.)

By taxi

There are two kinds of taxis, the ones with a meter and the ones
that you have to agree on a price before the trip. Of the metered
taxis, the best service is given by Taxis Amarillo (Yellow Cabs).
It is not possible to hail them in the street, you have to call.
The tel. number is 1766. They will demand an address (they can
sometimes by quite picky about getting an exact address - look
around at nearby houses, and don't forget to give the correct Zona)
and normally a telephone number, so it might be wise to have
someone call on your behalf, from a restaurant or so. With the
Taxis Amarillo every trip is logged, and riding with them is
considered safe. The other kind of taxis are white. With these you
have to negotiate a price, and being a tourist/foreigner, they most
likely will demand more than the normal fare. Normally the white
taxis should be cheaper, but if you're not that good at
negotiating, the yellow taxis might actually be the cheaper choice.
It is also the question of safety. There are approximately 800
unregistered/unlicenced/stolen white taxis circulating the city. If
you do find a white taxi who is decent, they will be happy to give
you a card and pick you up if you call in advance; many locals who
can afford the odd taxi have their favorite "taxista" whom they
call, and the drivers themselves can refer you to another reliable
driver should they be busy. The minimum price for a metered cab
ride is 25 Quetzals.

See

Antique churches provide the capital city with a very special
historic and architectural touch, such as Cerrito del Carmen,
Catedral Metropolitana, Calvario, Iglesia de Santo Domingo, Iglesia
de Yurrita, and Iglesia de la Merced. The archaeological site of
Kaminal Juyú is located within this capital city, which according
to specialists, is a city buried underneath one of the most
commercial areas of the city, comprising zones 7 and 11.

Parque Central and Palacio Nacional

Mapa en Relieve located at Minerva Park, at
end of Av. Simon Cañas, Guatemala Zona 2 Tel. 2254-1114 Entrance is
Q16 and it's open daily 9-5 This relief map depicting Guatemala's
precipitous topography is so immense you have to view it from an
observation tower. What makes it even more amazing is that it was
built in 1904, before satellite or even aerial photography.

Ixchel Museum of traditional costumes, 6 Calle
final, Zona 10, at the campus of Universidad Francisco Marroquín.
Tel 331-3638/34. Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00 Sat 9:00-13:00. Q25 adults, Q15
students. A large collection of traditional costumes, information
on weaving and dying techniques, the processing of the materials in
use, the history and development of the traditional costumes and a
collection of paintings by Carmen Pettersen. The explanations are
in both English and Spanish. The museum also has a shop where you
can get fine examples of Guatemalan artesania. The prices are
higher than at the markets, but the quality is also higher and the
selection is good. The shop also has a variety of books, including
its own series of publications about the traditional costumes of
Guatemala, hard to come by in other book stores, and also the book
The Maya of Guatemala - life and dress (with text in
English and Spanish) by Carmen Pettersen, for Q465 (price recently
raised because the book is now out of print).

Popol Vuh Museum[12], 6 Calle final,
Zona 10, at the campus of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Tel
361-2301/11. Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00 Sat 9:00-13:00. Q25 adults, Q15
students, Q15 for permission to take pictures (without flash), Q25
for video. The museum doesn't have a particular focus on the Popol
Vuh as the name suggests, but has a rather nice collection of
archaeological items from the pre-Hispanic Mayan world. There is
also a room dedicated to Colonial items. The explanations are in
both English and Spanish.

Archaeology and Ethnology Museum, 7 Avenida,
Zona 13. Presents an archaeological sample of the Mayan
civilization. This is where you find the famous Tikal
mask.

Museum of Modern Art, 7 Avenida, Zona 13. This
is directly across from the Archeology and Ethnology Museum and the
ticket from it should get people into both.

Aurora Zoo, Zona 13. See local and exotic
animals in a decent environment. Make sure to listen to the
songbirds that gather in the trees above.

Kaminaljuyu, Zona 7. An early Maya ruin right
in the heart of the city. The buildings are mostly mounds, however,
the excavations have opened up a lot of areas that are interesting
to tour.

Palacio Nacional, Zona 1, can be seen via free
guided tours (40Q if your not a Guatemalan citizen) that operate
every 15 minutes, and last about 1/2 hr. You can see the interior
courtyards and official function rooms, decorative artwork and wall
murals, as well as a small statue commemorating the end of the
civil war: a pair of hands that hold a fresh rose.

National History Museum (Museo Nacional de
Historia)

Museo Carlos F. Novella[14].
Mirador Basin Museum is free and located inside a cement factory.
15 Avenida 18-01 Zona 6, Interior Finca La Pedrera. (502) 2286-4100
ext. 6435. Go by cab to the front entrance and you must tell the
guard you are visiting the Museo de la Cuenca Mirador.

Do

Recreational activities can be done too, from climbing volcanoes
(Agua and Pacaya), to swimming in several recreational facilities,
as well as water sports in Lago de Atitlán (lake).

For recreation, you can visit 4 Grados Norte: pedestrian roads
that offer great entertainment, commerce and cultural activities,
and Zona Viva, an area of zone 10 that has become the main center
for nightlife. Guatemala City is an urban center with cultural
diversity, cosmopolitan as well as traditional, in which
traditional and folkloric abundance stands out, with legends such
as El Cadejo or La Llorona. The city offers the tourist all the
services and commodities and is normally the center of operations
to set out to any of the other destinations in the Republic.

Shopping at the Central Market

Every Sunday hundreds of People stroll at the
Main Plaza ("Plaza Mayor")in Zona 1, where music, arts and food is
provided

Cinema

Magic Place, Avenida Las Americas, Zona
14.

Los Proceres

La Pradera

Miraflores.

Tikal Futura

Pradera Concepcion. Newest cinemas in
Guatemala with IMAX Theater

Fútbol

If you want to experience a fútbol game in a fútbol nation,
don't hesitate to spend a Sunday morning/afternoon at Estadio Mateo
Flores. You can catch a match of the most popular fútbol club in
the country, CSD Municipal. Tickets are cheap and you can get them
at the stadium entrance. Go to [15]
to see when there is a local match. "Palco" is the most expensive
seating with ample spaced seats followed by "Preferencia",
"Tribuna",where the "hinchas", or fanatics, sit and "General Sur y
Norte" which are the cheapest. The first three are best for a good
view.

The other big Guatemala City fútbol team is Comunicaciones. If
Municipal isn't playing, go see Comunicaciones play as they both
share "Estadio Mateo Flores" as their home venue.

Oxford Language Center, 20 Calle 23-59, Zona
10. Tel 2368-1231/2368-1332, [16]. A small, friendly
language school specializing in English, but also offering several
other languages including Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin,
Dutch, French, Italian, and German, which are taught exclusively by
native speakers. This school fills a unique niche in the market
because it provides professional, yet personal service. Oxford
Language Center also has a second location in Coban.

IGA - Instituto Guatemalteco Americano, Ruta 1
4-05, Zona 4. Tel 338-5555. Fax 338-4571. cursosiga@iga.edu, [17]. Teaching in small groups,
normally 1-5 students. 7 levels, starting at basic level. More
weight on grammar than the typical language schools in Antigua,
with some courses on just practicing. The price is around Q850 for
a course of 2 hours a day (Mon-Fri), seven weeks (approximately).
You can get a discount if you only plan to follow part of the
course. The classes are from 9-11 or 11-13 and you can combine two
classes. The students are from all over the world, many of them
children or spouses.

Easy-Fácil, 14 Avenida 13-68, Oakland, Zona
10, ☎2337-3970/2368-1187 (easyfacil@hotmail.com), [18]. Private teacher. It is run by linguists — a
university lecturer in Spanish Literature, a British citizen with
many years experience in teaching English — it has professional
teachers, and it is located in the best zone of the city; so it is
more expensive but promises better results. Attracts a range of
clients from diplomats to children.edit

Academia Europea, 15 Calle 2-64, Zona 10. Tel
2363-5760, 2368-1002, [19]. Most of the
teachers (in other languages) from this academy teach their native
language. It has taken a large portion of the market for language
learning because of its unique and patented system.

University courses

Some of the universities give courses that also are open to the
public. Check out their websites for more information.

Universidad Rafael Landivar

Universidad Francisco Marroquin

Universidad del Valle

Universidad San Carlos

Work

If English is your native language (with Spanish as your second
language), you might find work as a private English tutor, or
translator. Look at the classifieds in the paper Prensa
Libre.

Selection of fabrics from Lin-Canola

Guatemala is famous for its textiles. In the city you should be
able to find textiles from all over the country. If you are
particularly interested in Guatemala or the Maya, you might find
books (in Spanish) here that you can't easily get anywhere else.
For books in English you'd most likely get better prices at an
online bookstore like Amazon.

Centro guatemalteco de textiles, 5 Calle 9-41,
Zona 1. Ceramic, wood and fabrics by the yard (Q15-25). Can't
compete with the selection at Lin-Canola, but cheaper. In the same
street you will find more shops with fabrics in the same price
range, but none with the selection of Lin-Canola.

Central Market, between 8 and 6 Calle/8 and 9
Avenida, Zona 1

Bookstores

You might, but don't expect to find travel guides for the region
at these places (not even a Guatemala guide).

Oakland Mall[21] Diagonal 6, Zona
10 (The newest shopping mall in the city, boasting the first
restaurant aquarium in Latin America going by the Nais Aquarium),
this shopping mall was opened by the end of October 2008. This mall
is already opened. Great movie theaters and a Sea-life
restaurant.

Tikal Futura, Zona 11

Miraflores, Zona 11

Pradera Concepción[22] It's located in
Puerta Parada, next to the road to El Salvador.

6 Avenida (Zona 1)

The gray economy is substantial in Guatemala, and 6
Avenida is a pulsating proof of that. On the sidewalks of this
avenue you can get fake branded clothes, pirated cd's, dvd's,
vcd's, game consoles, watches, shoes etc. A cd goes for Q10, dvd
Q20, vcd Q15. The selection is better than most shops, and the
blockbuster movies hit the streets long before the cinemas.

The Aurora International
Airport

The Airport is going through remodeling in phases. The first
phase, the North wing, has been finished as of December 2007. It is
a modern design with nothing to envy from airports in developed
nations. Phase two will see the construction of the South wing.
When finished, the airport is said to be the most modern and
largest airport in Central America being able to tend to 32
airplanes of different sizes at one time.

One thing you should take home with you from Guatemala is the
prize winning rum Ron Zacapa Centenario. If you don't
drink, somebody else is bound to be very happy for a bottle of this
exquisite rum. The price tag is around $22, some 25% cheaper than
at a supermarket. Note that there are two Duty Free shops. The
fancy one everybody passes by on the way to/from the gates and one
at the end of the terminal behind Gate 11. The latter one is about
20% cheaper for Ron Zacapa rum. The souvenir shops have
some nice things if you need some last minute gifts before you
leave the country (a bit more expensive than the markets, but not
too bad). The books they sell at the airport are ridiculously
expensive, double or triple price of a bookstore.

ATM

Visa is the most common credit card for use in ATMs. In the main
shopping areas, especially in Zona 10, you should have no trouble
finding an ATM that takes Visa. There is a Visa/MasterCard ATM at
the south side of the central plaza 8 Calle 5-36, a Visa only in 5
Avenida 9-39, and a MasterCard only at the corner of 5 Avenida/11
Calle, all in Zona 1.

A fascinating 'Gotch-ya' to traveling in Guatemala is that ATM
key pads can be oriented with the 9 at the top left with the
numbers descending right and down, or with the 1 at the top left
with numbers ascending. If you have a spatial memory and have
memorized the motion of punching in your P.I.N. instead of the
actual numerical sequence, you might be in for a surprise!

Eat

Fast Food You can find quite an array of
American fast food restaurants (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's,
etc.) as well as Pollo Campero which is the most popular Guatemalan
fast food chain. Fast food restaurants in Guatemala are very clean
and accessible only to the better funded families. The food is
clean and you are very much less likely to end up sick.

Street Food Though a little risky, there are
great street vendors that offer a variety of good local foods. Just
remember to scope out the one with the best hygiene. You can't get
more local than this.

"Shucos" can be found in carts that are
usually parked in between "Estadio del Ejercito" and "Campo Marte"
zona 5. They are comparable to a super charged hot dog with
guacamole, meats such as "longaniza", "chorizo", bacon etc... Just
make sure you get the one with everything (Con todo).

"Mangoes or Cucumbers with Salt, Pepitoria &
Limón"You can also get sliced fruit such as magoes with
"pepitoria" (roasted, crushed pumpkin seeds), salt, and lemon in a
small clear bag. Or sliced oranges from carts all over the
city.

"Gauchitos" are also good cart foods. They are
basically a pattie with scrambled egg, "chimichurri" and some
dressings on a bun. You can find them in various places throughout
the city. One favorite is on the "Mirador" on Carretera al
Salvador. It sits adjacent to Cafesa, diner like restaurant, on an
outlook overlooking the city. You can order a "Súper Gauchito", a
soda, and sit and admire the hustle and bustle of the city
below.

"Atol de Elote" Is a very local and custom
drink made from a corn (maize) base. It's somewhat sweet and a
drink you must try. It's very rich so if you're not too hungry you
can substitute it for a meal. The best place to try it is on the
outlook on the other side of the city leaving towards Antigua. Just
before you get to San Lucas. Its also another place where you can
sit and admire the city from atop a mountain.

Carretera a Antigua Guatemala

Restaurante La Abuelita, The best homemade
food in San Lucas.

Zona Viva, between Avenida La Reforma, 6 Avenida, 16
Calle and 10 Calle in Zona 10 is the best place to find
restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Hacienda Real, 13 Calle 1-10, Zona 10. Tel
2368-1168/2333-5408/9. One of the best places for steak. Try the
tortillas with guacamole, frijoles (beans) and chorizo for
starters, and the steak pimienta as the main course. Main dish
Q70-140. Serves a free, delicious caldo while you wait for
the meal.

FRIDAS, 3a AVE 14-60, Zona 10. Tel
2333-7473/2368-0686. Mexican food. Main dish Q35-60. Chicken
fajitas, Tortilla soup, pechuga de pollo en salsa de mango, pay
azteca, a la flauta flautas, and for starters the queso fundido
mixto (melted cheese with mushrooms) are all good. The best
margaritas in Guatemala, but watch out when they ask you
what kind of tequila you would like in/with it - the price might
rise from the normal Q29 to Q85.

Casa Chapina
[25], 1 Avenida 13-42, Zona 10. Tel 2337-0143/2368-0663.
Traditional Guatemalan food. If you are lucky/unlucky (depending on
your preferences) you might also be treated to the traditional
marimba during your meal.

Donde Mikel, 13 Calle 5-19, Zona 10. Great
place for steak and shrimps. Often full, so book in advance, or
show up early.

Tapas y Cañas[26], 13 Calle 7-78, Zona
10. Tel 2367-2166. Spanish tapas. Try pinchos españoles,
pinchos de pollo and albondigas de lomito. You
have a choice between sitting in the restaurant or in the bar.

tacontento, 2a Avenida 14-06, Zona 10, across
the street from the Intercontinental Hotel. Serves excellent tacos
for Q20-28 per set of three. Try the spicy pulled pork tacos. The
crowd is a mix between hip locals and foreigners.

San Ángel, Carretera a El Salvador. Great view
of the city, especially at night; security is VERY tight, so you
can eat with no worries. Try the lomito and the one called Mar y
Tierra (Sea and Land): you get a large steak and big shrimps.

Santa Catarina Pinula (suburb just above Zone 10 and the
airport)

This town is historically famous for its pork products, and the
best tasting, cleanest, most authentic place around is "La
Cabanita" which is a quarter block directly south of the Cathedral.
Fresh "carnitas" guatemalan style, plus "chicharrones",
"longanizas", etc... if you're a fan of those exotic dining-gems
from the Food or Travel channels then you'll love this place.

Tiendas, little grocery stores (with any name
imaginable) that you can find all over the city; you can get soft
drinks, beer, bread, candy, combs, razors, pens, toilet paper, any
kind of snack you can think of, phone cards (some of them), etc.;
cash only

4 Grados Norte[33]
.Is a cultural district located in Zona 4 in Guatemala City. It was
a project of the municipality to convert this area into an
attractive pedestrian area in 2002. Additionally, many green areas
were created. Today the district also features bars, restaurants,
shopping and cultural activities and has become one of the city's
trendy and open minded areas, competing with Zona Viva in zone
10.The most interesting places are perhaps the ones just outside
the main street.

Bodegita del Centro, 12 Calle 3-55, Avenidas
3/4, Zona 1.

El Portal, inside the complex (entrances from
8 Calle, 9 Calle and 6 Avenida) facing Parque Central, Zona 1.
Supposedly Che Guevaras favorite place when he lived in Guatemala
City in the early '50s.

ONE Restaurant+Lounge, 14 Calle 4-74, Zona
10, ☎+502
2368.0724/2337.3903. ONE is
a contemporary restaurant and lounge with an avant-garde design.
25% off from 4pm through 8pm, Monday through Friday. Wednesday and
Saturday is Ladies' Night with 2x1. For RSVP: 502 5736.6117.Main dish Q70-190. edit

El Establo, Zona 10.

Kahlua. Zona 10

The gay circuit in Guatemala is somewhat extensive, and it is
growing every day.

Genetic, Near 4 Grados Norte. 8:00 pm - 1:00 am. It is Guatemala's biggest gay club, where you
can get for free if you come before 9:00 pm. It has two floors, and
shows a variety of music: from latin beats to europop.$12.00. edit

Sleep

Most accommodations in the Zone Viva are within a few blocks
making location less important than amenities like airport
transfers or breakfast. Check for hidden costs and taxes (22%)
before booking.

Hotel Spring[39] 8 Avenida 12-65, Zona
1. Tel 232-2858. Double Room $22. English spoken. Situated in the
colonial house, it has a nice cafeteria in the courtyard. But one
annoying thing is that the entrance to the bathroom is very low,
expect to bang your head at least once. It also provides internet
access, but the prices are a bit steep. Apart from that clean and
pleasant.

Xamanek Student Inn[40], 13 calle 3-57
Zona 10. Tel +(502) 2360 8345. xamanek@mayaworld.net.
Prices from $15 dorm rooms and $35 for private rooms including
taxes, continental breakfast, full kitchen access and internet .
Although this is in an area of nightlife and great restaurants,
there is an inexpensive local place to eat at nearby (as well and a
McDonalds also if you go to that sort of place). You can walk to
the Museos Popul Vuh and Ixchel and to the Archaeological Museum
and the zoo from there. Reservations are recommended, but they can
be done via e-mail.

Barceló Guatemala City
[45], 7 Avenida 15-49, Zona 9. Tel +(502) 2320 4000. guatemalacity@barcelo.com.
In a early booking you can get rates from $109 for a double. The
hotel is set right in the heart of the city, in the main business
district.

Contact

Phone

There are phone booths spread out generously over the whole
city. Most of them are from the company Telgua, some from
Telefonica, and most take only phone cards. Look for the sign
Ladatel or Telefonica both on the phone booths
and the places that sell the cards.

Post office (El Correo)

The main Post office is in 7 Avenida/12 Calle, Zona 1. A stamp
for a postcard to Europe costs around Q4. The postal system in
Guatemala has a reputation for not being very reliable, and many
Guatemalans have a P.O.Box in Texas where they receive
post/magazines/online purchases (brought to Guatemala by courier).
You can't buy stamps or post mail anywhere but at the post
offices/affiliates. Look/ask for El Correo[51]

7 Avenida/12 Calle, Zona 1

The airport, Zona 13

Av. Reforma/14 Calle, Zona 9

Stay safe

Guatemala City has a high level of crime. Check the U.S. Embassy
website [52]
for a summary of recent crimes against foreigners. These include
carjackings on the road from the airport and robberies and assaults
of tourist vans as well as ordinary buses and cars.

Even though it has a "high level of crime" if you use some
common sense and good travel practices, you should not be exposed
to any of it. Make sure you sharpen your "street smarts" because as
with any big metropolitan urban area, you might be exposed to
crimes. Just make sure you are aware of your surroundings at all
times just as you would be in any big city around the world.

If you experience a robbery, please be advised to give away
anything the robbers want. Though some would suggest to just stay
inside in most places after sunset, at night you can have fun
safely in Zona Viva (zona 10), zone 14 or 4 Grados Norte.

If you eat street food because of a craving or just to
experience the most local cuisine available, make sure you scope
out the vendor with the best hygiene! You may fall ill to a food
borne illness. Even locals get sick from time to time eating street
food. If you happened to get sick, you can pick up any medicine
from "farmacias" (pharmacies) located almost anywhere around the
city. Just brush up a little on your most common food borne
illnesses and their common symptoms.

Stay Healthy

Guatemala City is at a somewhat high elevation (about 1500 m) in
the mountains (plus the air is very polluted in Zona 1), so if
coming from a location near sea-level, you might wish to plan to
take it easy and get extra rest on your first day while your body
adjusts to the altitude.

Pharmacy

You'll find pharmacies all over the city.

Cope

If you have electrical equipment that need 220-240V 50Hz input
instead of the country's standard 110V 60Hz, you can find a
transformer at Electronica Panamericana, 3 Avenida y 11 Calle,
Esquina, Zona 9. They have various models with prices depending on
how much power you require. Q230 for a 500-Watts transformer.

Also, in the smaller hotels/motels, the electrical outlets only
take 2-pronged plugs. So, if you have a laptop, for example, you'll
need a plug adapter that will allow you to utilize the 2-pronged
outlets.

This is a usable article. It has
information for getting in as well as some complete entries for
restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this
article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

[[File:|thumb|right|250px|The Guatemala City from birds eye view.]]
Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala. It is the largest city in Central America. It has a population of 942,348 and 2,945,080 in the metro area. It was founded in 1773.